You Know What Must Be Done
by DeadlyMaelstrom711
Summary: Maxwell has one last meeting with a former companion he once considered a close friend and decides the Inquisition's fate during the Exalted Council. Story is narrated from the Inquisitor's point of view. Spoilers from Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC.


This fic takes place during during the Dragon Age series' _Trespasser_ DLC. So heads up, this contains quite a bit of spoilers and if you haven't played _Trespasser_ yet, then I suggest you skip this. Beyond that, I hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

I came through the other side of the Eluvian network, allowing me access to an even greater passage of the labyrinth to my destination following a long, difficult confrontation with the Qunari saarebas Saarath so as to find the person I once called my friend. As I stood to regain my balance after arriving at a secluded courtyard north of an ancient shrine, I looked to my left and quickly jerked backwards as a Qunari warrior was standing before me. Not even alive, really, but petrified. Turned to stone, just like most of the others we've encountered on the way to this very spot. He appeared to have been turned into this as he was about to swing a great axe at his alleged target: presumably Fen'Harel himself, the Dalish elves' god of betrayal for whom they had bitterly dubbed "the Dread Wolf." According to elven lore given to the Inquisition by allied Dalish clans, the legends of Fen'Harel were generally portrayed as a being of malicious nature and an evil being that caused the elves to suffer as a result for his deeds. But while I was traveling through the Darvaarad, I made an interesting discovery that the Qunari, even the Viddasala herself, ignored.

Moving past the petrified Qunari, I looked to see an entire battalion of them on the left and right sides in the same state as their comrades. Once again, they barely had any time to swing their weapons. As I proceeded to the center of the courtyard, just then, a familiar voice caught my attention:

"Ebasit kata. Itwa-ost."

Solas! That voice belonged to Solas. Three years ago he was introduced as an elven mage and proclaimed expert on the Fade. For an apostate, Solas appeared to have quite a distinctive knowledge of the Fade and more—the history of the world from ancient times not recorded into the history books or the tenants of the Chantry. Many would've considered that belief to be heretical and would likely have had someone executed as a threat to the faith whether it was true or not. Regardless, the lessons and counsel Solas provided me and for the Inquisition had been beneficial in our campaign to defeat Corypheus and close the Breach before the threat had consumed the world. Solas was a companion, a teacher, but most importantly… a friend. One I could proudly say I could trust and depend on with my life. But now? With the revelations from the Viddasala that Solas was actually an agent of Fen'Harel working against both the Qunari and the Inquisition, to force us to fight each other, it felt as if this was the worst betrayal possible. I had questions that needed answering, and Solas had them. And I _will_ have them even if I have to tear the Viddasala in half and any Qunari in my way to do it.

"Maraas kata!"

It was the Viddasala, alright. Judging by her stance, she had been wounded in battle and was both frustrated and exhausted. Solas, on the other hand, looks as if he was unharmed—like nothing or no one could possibly get close to him.

"Your forces have failed," he tells her. "Leave now, and tell the Qunari to trouble me no further."

When Solas turned to walk away towards the large glowing Eluvian before us, the Viddasala simply refused to accept defeat so easily despite the fact that she was out of her league as the area was littered with statues and dead Qunari soldiers. With a desperate growl, the Viddasala grabbed the nearest spear from one of her troops and prepared to attack. However, in the blink of an eye, Solas turns her into stone before she could make another move. Even as I watched from behind, my hand began stinging again. The Anchor was getting out of control, and was threatening to consume me entirely. To kill me. If this was to be my final moments, I had to know the truth.

"Solas!" I called out to him.

As he turned around and noticed my approach, the Anchor began flaring up again. I gripped my left arm as I slunk onto the ground as I cry out in agony, unable to keep it under control for much longer. Solas was aware of what was going on as he slowly approached me, both hands behind his back. His attire had changed drastically over the years. He was now clad from head to toe in gold ancient elven sentinel armor with silver-plated shoulder gauntlets and pauldrons, a pale blue robe and a wolf pelt around his right shoulder, all of them were made to make him appear as a being of great importance. With a single gesture, his eyes flashed silver and the out of control magic that was causing me so much pain had suddenly dissipated. With the pain gone, I slowly stood up to face him.

"That should give us more time," Solas said to me. "I suspect you have questions."

That is true. I did have questions, but I also had something else for him. A surprise, one might say. "The Qunari answered some of those questions. The information I found while traveling through the Eluvians answered more," I answered him with confidence and in an authoritative posture. Wiping the sweat from my brow from the anguish I felt seconds earlier, I raised my arm to point a finger directly at him. "You're Fen'Harel. You're the Dread Wolf."

"Well done," Solas nodded as he congratulated me, conceding that he could no longer hide behind his façade. "I was Solas first. ''Fen'Harel'' came later… an insult I took as a badge of pride. The Dread Wolf inspired hope in my friends and fear in my enemies… not unlike ''Inquisitor,'' I suppose. You also know the burden of a title that all but replaces your name."

Despite the evidence, despite the need to want to scream and shout at him, even _hitting_ him, I couldn't bring myself to do it after everything he's done.

"I saw the stories as we traveled through the Eluvians. Are they true?" I asked him.

Solas appeared indifferent. "They are closer than the Dalish legends, though still prone to making me into something more than I am."

"I'm so sorry, Solas. What you've seen… I can't imagine."

Solas gave me a reassuring smile to let me know that it was alright, that what happened in the past was not something to dwell on. He turned towards the waterfall and an ancient elven ruin on the horizon as he motioned me to follow him.

"I sought to set my people free from slavery to would-be gods. I broke the chains of all who wished to join me. The false gods called me Fen'Harel, and when they finally went too far, I formed the Veil and banished them forever. Thus I freed the elven people and, in so doing, destroyed their world."

"But you love the Fade," I said; unsure of why he would do such a thing. "Why would you create the Veil to hide it all away?"

"Because every alternative was worse," he answered.

"Meaning?"

"Had I not created the Veil, the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world."

"You banished the false gods," I furrowed my brow. "The Evanuris were powerful elven mages, but completely mortal as well. With flesh that can bled and bones broken, just like you and me. Why didn't you kill them?"

"You've met Mythal, did you not?" Solas replied. "The first of my people do not die so easily. The Evanuris are banished forever, paying the ultimate price for their misdeeds."

What misdeeds? "You said that the elven gods went too far. What exactly did they do that finally made you move against them?"

"They killed Mythal," Solas answered remorsefully before letting out a bitter chuckle. "A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment."

"I thought Mythal was one of the Evanuris."

"She was the best of them. She cared for her people, and protected them as if they were her own children. Mythal was a voice of reason. And in their lust for power, the Evanuris killed her."

"How did creating the Veil destroy the world?" I pressed; wanting to know more from what happened thousands of years ago.

"You saw the remains of Vir Dirthara. The library was intrinsically tied to the Fade, and the Veil destroyed it. There were countless other marvels, all dependent on the presence of the Fade, all destroyed. The elven legends of immortality? All true. It was not the arrival of humans that caused them to begin aging, however. It was me," he said sadly, sounding regretful for the damage he inflicted upon his own people. "The Veil took everything from the elves, even themselves."

So that was it. That explains how Arlathan crumbled on itself, how the Tevinter Imperium took the survivors as slaves and how Andraste led a revolt that ultimately granted the elves a new home in the Dales. But unfortunately history can be quite ironic… and cruel as to how it can repeat itself. Centuries of trying to rebuild a lost kingdom, only to have it destroyed in the Exalted March and for the elves to wander the world once more.

"How did the Evanuris come to be remembered as gods?"

"Slowly. It started with a war," Solas explained as if it only happened just yesterday. "War breeds fear, fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil, right and wrong. Chains of command. After the war ended, generals became respected elders. Then kings. And finally gods. The Evanuris."

It seemed that it was all I need to hear as I was unsure of what else to say; no longer wanting to indulge any further of what happened lest more old wounds reopened. "That's the past. What about the future?"

"I lay in dark and dreaming sleep while countless wars and ages passed. I woke still weak a year before I joined you. My people fell for what I did to strike the Evanuris down, but still some hope remains for restoration. I _will_ save the elven people, even if it means _this_ world must die."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Solas is willing to stoop so low as to destroy the world we helped save in order to bring about the return of the elves? His people? After everything we accomplished and the hardships we went through together? Why?

"Why does this world have to die for the elves to return?" I asked in confusion.

"A good question, but not one I will answer," Solas said before I see him smile before returning to a mournful frown once more. "You have always shown a thoughtfulness I respected. It would be easy to tell you too much. I am not Corypheus. I take no joy in this. But the return of my people means the end of yours. It is my fight. You should be more concerned about the Inquisition. _Your_ Inquisition. In stopping the Dragon's Breath, you have prevented an invasion by Qunari forces. With luck, they will return their focus to Tevinter. That should give you a few years of relative peace."

"But the Qunari said the Inquisition was unknowingly working for agents of Fen'Harel."

"I gave no orders," Solas replied defensively.

"You led us to Skyhold!" I countered.

"Corypheus should have died unlocking my orb. When he survived, my plans were thrown into chaos. When you survived, I saw the Inquisition as the best hope this world had of stopping him. And you needed a home. Hence, Skyhold."

 _His_ orb? The orb Corypheus used to cause such catastrophic damage actually belonged to Solas? As I took this all in, I felt my fists clench and my jaws clamp even tighter as the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place.

"You gave your orb to Corypheus?!" I said quivering out of anger than shock.

Solas shook his head. "Not directly, no. My agents allowed the Venatori to locate it. The orb had built up magical energy while I laid unconscious for millennia. I was not powerful enough to open it. The plan was for Corypheus to unlock it, and for the resulting explosion to kill him. Then I would claim the orb. I did not foresee a Tevinter magister having leard the secret of effective immortality."

"What would have happened if Corypheus had indeed died and you'd recovered the orb instead?" I demanded.

"I would have entered the Fade, using the mark you now bear. Then I would have torn down the Veil. As this world burned in the raw chaos, I would have restored the world of my time… The world of the elves."

"And if you destroyed the Veil, wouldn't the false gods be freed?"

"I had plans," Solas answered confidently.

As I continued to see red, I suddenly felt it being repressed as I let go of my fists and calm down as I slowly turned my head to the side, not wanting to look at him for a moment before returning to meet his gaze.

"I never thought of you as someone who would do that, Solas," I said out of disappointment.

But judging the look on Solas's face, he looked hurt at what I said. "Thank you," was all he was able to get out. "You must understand. I awoke in a world where the Veil had blocked most people's conscious connection to the Fade. It was like walking through a world of Tranquil."

Somehow what he said seemed to make it worse.

"We aren't even people to you?" I spat, disgusted at his choice of comparison.

"Not at first," Solas conceded. "You showed me that I was wrong… again. That does not make what must come next any easier."

I was still furious at how he used us. All of us. But as he said years ago, _'One only hopes that those in power will remember who helped and those who did not.'_

"Whatever your reasons," I began telling him, "we couldn't have defeated Corypheus without you."

"Your doubts are misplaced," Solas retorted; unsure of whether or not he believed what I said. "Everything you accomplished, you earned."

"Even so, what's wrong with the Inquisition the way it is?"

"You built a powerful organization, and now it suffers the inevitable fate of such: betrayal and corruption."

I didn't buy it. "It's not that simple."

Solas sighed and took a moment to explain. "Do you know how I discovered the Qunari plot? The plot I disrupted by leading them to your doorstep? The Qunari spies in the Inquisition tripped over _my_ spies in the Inquisition. The elven guard who led you to the Qunari body, who intercepted the servant with the gaatlok barrel? Mine."

Perhaps unknowingly, I found myself grabbing Solas by the shoulders and proceeded to scream in his face. "Why bother disrupting the Qunari plot, if you're going to destroy the world regardless?! Can you answer me that? Huh? Can you?!"

"You have shown me that there is value in this world, Inquisitor," he answered sadly. "I take no joy in what I must do. Until that day comes, I would see those recovering from the Breach free of the Qun."

"Why?" I said doubtfully.

"Because I am not a monster," he replied rather firmly as he released himself from my grip. "If they must die, I would rather they die in comfort. In any event, it is done."

I sighed, having emotionally exhausted myself. "I guess we owe you for that one, too, then…"

"I hope it gives your people some final peace."

I closed my eyes and dusted myself off, noticing the Eluvian behind Solas was now glowing brighter.

"So you control the Eluvians now?"

"Yes," Solas acknowledged. "You remember Briala from Halamshiral? For a time, she controlled part of the labyrinth. One of my agents, Felassan, was supposed to take it from her, but he did not succeed. I had to override the magic personally. The Qunari stumbled upon this section independently. With them gone, the Eluvians are now mine."

I suppose that was all that was going to come out from Solas. The reason for that was because whatever magic Solas used to suppress the Anchor was beginning to wear off, and the pain was slowly coming back.

"There's still the matter of the Anchor," I told him. "It's getting worse."

Somehow, Solas seemed to notice it as well. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry. And we are almost out of time."

Then, the Anchor began flaring up even more stronger this time. In an attempt to free itself, the glowing magic of the Anchor began spreading at an alarming rate as it had gone past my wrist and was now at my elbow. Maker's breath, the pain was unimaginable. So bad that I couldn't comprehend it. I screamed as if it was being dipped in molten hot lava again and again, and as I fell to my knees again I clenched my arm and saw pieces of my own armor and flesh are in the process of being burned off with only the muscle tissue peeling from my skin and bones becoming partially visible. Solas was watching me, and knelt down to look at the state I was in.

"The mark will eventually kill you," he admitted. "Drawing you here gave me the chance to save you… at least for now."

I couldn't move, but I had enough strength to tilt my head upwards. "You don't need to destroy this world, Solas!" I hissed as I pleaded with him to change his mind. "I'll prove it to you! I swear!"

"I would treasure the chance to be wrong once again, my friend," he replied sadly as he stood up and extended his hand to me. "Take my hand."

With the Anchor now consuming half my left arm, I had little choice to argue. Using the last remaining bit of strength and willpower I had left, I reached forth and in that instance, Solas grabbed my arm.

"I'm sorry."

As Solas closes my hand, his eyes flash silver again and I felt my arm go numb. He used the same magic he used against the Viddasala and the Qunari invasion force to petrify my left arm as far as my elbow. The Anchor will still tear away at the stone, but as I saw my arm grumble in the dust, what remained of my arm remained untouched. But at such a cost. All of the pain, the screaming, the stress, everything I was forced to endure took a toll of me. I collapsed on the ground, drenched in sweat and felt my consciousness slowly fading. The last thing I heard before passing out was:

"Live well, while time remains."

* * *

 ** _The following morning…_**

It's been some time since my last encounter with Solas. Although the Anchor was gone, I have been reduced to what I once was. Only my right arm remains, and with it, I carried with me the holy book containing the official decree from the late Divine Justinia V that authorized the reformation of the Inquisition. The matter with the Exalted Council was still a pressing matter, and I was determined to see it through. But it seemed not everyone agreed with me leaving the room. As hard as they tried to keep me in bed, I shoved past them. Commoners and nobles alike. I didn't care who got in my way, I didn't care what they thought, and I didn't even give a damn if they tried to stop me. This meeting was to discuss the future of the Inquisition. _My_ Inquisition. And no one else is going to tell me what I can and cannot do, despite my current condition. Even as a I marched to the meeting room, I could definitely hear that the fuss inside was getting louder and louder.

"I agree that something must be done," argued Duke Cyril de Montford, "but we cannot lose the Inquisition now! We stand on the brink of war with the Qunari."

"Yes, because this Solas provoked them in the first place!" shouted Arl Teagan Guerrin.

"The Inquisition did not cause threat," Josephine explained. "We informed the summit of the danger—"

Teagan interrupted her. "The danger posed by Qunari spies inside _your_ organization!"

Leliana, now known as Divine Victoria, was sitting in the middle of the desk and waved her hand. "Without _our_ organization, you would not be alive to complain."

"Make no mistake, Ambassador, no one here has forgotten what you and the Inquisition have done for us," Teagan reminded everyone present after calming his nerves. "But need I have to remind you that Corypheus is two years dead."

Duke Cyril continued with his closing statements. "If the Inquisition is to continue, it must do so as a legitimate organization. Not a glorified mercenary band."

As I made my way to the room, the nobility from Ferelden and Orlais stood from their seats to look at me rather surprised as they noticed my missing limb. Arl Teagan and Duke Cyrril noticed me as well, as did Divine Victoria. But I didn't care. I was in no mood for nobles playing politics with me or the people under my supervision any longer. When I halted my advance, my fiancée looked at me in the hopes of putting an end to it once and for all.

"Inquisitor?" Josephine began.

I nodded at her and proceeded to hold up the book and turned to address everyone in the assembly.

"You all know what this is. A writ from Divine Justinia authorizing the formation of the Inquisition. We pledged to close the Breach, find those responsible, and restore order. With or without anyone's approval," I began as Cassandra smiled at me, knowing full well that was the exact same line she used against Chancellor Roderick at Haven. I set the book down and returned my gaze to the Exalted Council, starting with the Fereldan representative. "The Inquisition saved the people of Ferelden when _you_ couldn't! We are _not_ disbanding!" The crowd gasped at my harsh words as Teagan's face was fuming red as Duke Cyril quietly chuckled, only stopping when he noticed I was looking at him as well. "And we are certainly _not_ submitting to an Empress who only sits on her throne because we kept her there!" Cyril looked equally offended as well, with neither Ferelden or Orlais got what they had hoped for. But this was only just the beginning as I took a deep breath to continue. "You would instead have us bow to your own political agenda, to control us as you see fit, a familiarly distinctive motive that goes against all that we have stood for and continue to stand for! There's worse coming than anything you've yet seen, so we'll place nice. We'll bow, but not to any of you! Effective immediately, the Inquisition shall act as Divine Victoria's personal honor guard."

Everyone in the room looked surprised at my declaration, even Leliana.

"Answering directly to her, we will transition from a military force into a peacekeeping organization. My own adventuring days may be done, lords and ladies of the court, but the Inquisition—and its mission—will continue."

I turned on my heels and stormed out the door with Josephine quickly following suit as the crowd applauded. My fiancée was a bit worried about my outburst, but I assured her that I did what needed to be done. What comes next can wait. For now, I have a war to win… and a friend to redeem. Nothing will stand in the way of that. Solas knows everything about us, our strengths and our weaknesses despite having the strength necessary to respond. So be it. I will find agents Solas _doesn't_ know. I will save my friend from himself, if I can. And if I can't… it will not stop me from trying.

* * *

 **Translation(s):** "Saarebas" = "Dangerous thing", "Ebasit-kata. Itwa-ost," = "It has ended. You have fallen," and "Maaras-kata" = "Nothing has ended/It is not over."

 **My Inquisitor's name:** Lord Maxwell Reginald Trevelyan of Ostwick.


End file.
